Heel-cushion.



B. GAIN.

HEEL CUSHION.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.10, 1911 RENEWED JAN. 21, 1914.

1 1 07,894. Patented Aug. 18, 1914,

44 4 wrw w affoznu ms NuRRls PETER? so. WAsnINcm/V. By C UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

BENHAM CAIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

HEELCUSHION'.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 10, 1911, Serial No. 643,381. Renewed January 21, 1914. I Serial No. 813,548.

To all whom it may concern Be it knownthat I, BENHAM CAIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Heel-Cushions, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a resilient heel cushion designed to provide convenience and comfort to the user in walking.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, efficient and inexpensive heel cushion arranged to overlie the section of the upper bearing on the heel, presenting a smooth surface for the heel of the foot and admitting of compression under the weight of the user.

lVith these and other objects in view my invention consists in the combination, arrangement, and details of construction shown in the drawings, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

Similar reference characters designate similar parts in the respective views.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a top plan view of the device, Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view, Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device in position within a shoe, Fig. 4: is a detail side view thereof.

My resilient heel cushion is composed of superposed laminations of spring metal of the shape of the heel end of the interior of the shoe, being fastened at one end and having a preferably flat bottom and diverging leaves arranged to approximate a straight hue and to overlie the fiat portion when under compression.

1 designates the device composed of spring. metal or similar material, having a flat bottom 16. A suitable means for holding the flat bottom of the device in position within the shoe and against wabbling, consists in providing downturned prongs 2 under the bottom leaf and preferably within the plane of the curvilinear portion which alines with the heel; the prongs are pressed or stamped out of the spring leaf and its shape is shown by the opening 3. The two intermediate leaves 14: and 15 are oppositely curved having osculatory ends; here the combined flexure of the two spring sheets 14 and 15 which form a tongue spaced from the top and bottom sheets enhances the efficacy of the resilient bearing. The various laminations are jointed at 8 by suitable rivets which are finely finished so as to keep the surface of the metal as flush as may be. From the point of union the various leaves separate in diverging relation, except that the free ends of the inner leaves are arranged to point in converging directions. In treadingthe users heel bears upon the soft bearing of the top lamination causing an interengagement with the intermediate leaves which yielding under the weight exerted will straighten the series of movable leaves.

What I claim to be new is:

A resilient heel cushion consisting of four resilient plates fixedly held to one another at one end thereof, the free ends of the outer plates pointing in diverging directions and the free ends of the inner plates pointing in converging directions.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

BENHAM GAIN."

A. C. RADEMACHER.

Gopien of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. U." 

